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Acid sulfate soils (ASS) and sodic soils are naturally occurring soil types that can pose significant environmental, infrastructure, and construction challenges if they are not appropriately identified and managed. Disturbance of ASS can generate sulfuric acid and mobilise metals, potentially impacting soil, groundwater, surface water, ecosystems, and built infrastructure. Sodic soils can contribute to erosion, instability, and reduced earthworks performance, creating risks for both development projects and the environment.
These soils occur across many regions of Australia and New Zealand and are increasingly encountered during urban development, infrastructure construction, and land management activities. As regulatory frameworks, technical guidance, and industry understanding continue to evolve, there is growing emphasis on effective investigation, risk assessment, and management to minimise impacts and support sustainable development outcomes.
This webinar will examine the occurrence, regulation, investigation, and management of acid sulfate and sodic soils, drawing on practical experiences, case studies, and regulatory perspectives from across Australia and New Zealand.
In this webinar, our speakers will explore:
The presentation will draw on current guidance, regulatory developments, and practical case studies to demonstrate how acid sulfate and sodic soils can be effectively identified, investigated, and managed. Practical examples will illustrate how site characterisation, risk assessment, mapping, and management planning can support informed decision-making and help minimise environmental and infrastructure impacts. Case studies from both development projects and coastal catchment environments will highlight the value of integrating multiple lines of evidence to better understand environmental risks and inform management decisions.
This webinar will be particularly valuable for contaminated land consultants, geotechnical and environmental engineers, planners, regulators, infrastructure and construction professionals, environmental scientists, and risk assessment practitioners. A live Q&A will follow, and the session will be recorded.
Lindsay Lutes is a Senior Project Consultant at SLR Consulting New Zealand with over 10 years’ experience in the environmental consulting industry, having started her career with SLR in Canada. She has extensive experience in site investigation and characterisation, with a growing focus on Acid Sulphate Soils. Lindsay has led key ASS investigations and the development of management plans, including large-scale greenway developments in the Waikato region. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between technical assessment and practical implementation, translating ASS theory into clear, actionable processes for construction teams.
Dr Jonathan Caldwell is a Senior Scientist (Environmental Chemist) in the Science section at Waikato Regional Council. He provides science support for the Council’s air quality, contaminated land and diffuse contaminant monitoring programmes and provides advice on environmental chemistry matters in general. Jonathan started with Waikato Regional Council in January 2007. Prior to this, he worked for seven years as a keratin fibre research scientist at the Wool Research Organisation in Lincoln. He has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Waikato.
Jonathan has led the publication of Waikato Regional Council’s Acid Sulfate Soils regional mapping exercise and their technical guidance document.
Vanessa Wong is a Professor in Soil and Land Management in the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at Monash University. She is a qualified soil scientist with over 20 years' experience in research in soil, land and water management. She has written over 100 publications, including more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, which have underpinned several management plans in land and water management, including in estuary and coastal zone management. She is accredited as a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) and a Registered Soil Practitioner with an Acid Sulfate Soil specialisation (RSP-ASS) by Soil Science Australia and is the Chair of the International Working Group on Acid Sulfate Soils of the International Union of Soil Scientists.
Hannah Mikkonen is a Principal Environmental Scientist with a PhD in Environmental Engineering and more than 17 years of experience in contaminated land, groundwater, soil science and environmental geochemistry.
Hannah leads the contaminated land Science team at EPA Victoria and provides specialist technical advice on soil science and geochemistry for a wide range of infrastructure, development and contaminated land projects. Her expertise includes acid sulfate soil investigations and management, assessment of geogenic and anthropogenic contamination, groundwater impact assessment, spoil classification and management, statistical interpretation of environmental data, and human and ecological risk assessment. Hannah is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) and actively supports initiatives that advance soil science knowledge and foster collaboration between academia, industry, regulators and the broader community.
ALGA Member: FREE
Non-Member: $25.00
Students: FREE
All fees include GST
All fees are in AUD
1.5 CPD
